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Lawrence is Assistant Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University’s Institute for Pastoral Theology. He converted to Catholicism in 1989 together with his wife, while engaged in realist marble sculpture in Pietrasanta, Italy. He then studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome from 1990 to 1999, earning a doctorate in Dogmatic Theology, summa cum laude. From 1995-96 he studied Biblical Hebrew and Greek in Jerusalem at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. His scholarly interests center on the theology and philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Thomistic tradition, the relationship between nature and grace, Christian anthropology, Christology, fundamental theology, the Jewish roots of the Catholic faith, and the relationship between Christian faith and culture.
After completing his studies in Rome, Dr. Feingold moved to Argentina with his family, where he taught philosophy and theology in the House of Formation of the religious order, Miles Christi, located in Lujan outside of Buenos Aires, from 1999 to 2004. He has been a regular faculty member of the IPT in St. Louis since 2006.
Books published:
Curriculum Vitae
Teaching
- 2006– Assistant professor of Pastoral Theology at Ave Maria University, Institute for Pastoral Theology.
- 2009–2011 Adjunct professor of Theology, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis
- 2009–2011 Adjunct professor of Theology, Pontifical Paul VI Institute of Catechetical and Pastoral Studies in St. Louis
- 2005 Professor of Philosophy and Theology at the Studium Augustinianum in St. Louis, MO (approved by Archbishop Raymond Burke).
- 1999–2004 Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Latin at the Estudiantado de filosofía Santo Tomás de Aquino for the religious institute, Miles Christi, in Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Education
- 1990–1999 Doctorate in Sacred Theology, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, 1999, summa cum laude (10).
- License in Sacred Theology, Pont. University of the Holy Cross, Rome, 1998.
- Studies in Biblical Theology in Jerusalem, Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, 1995–1996.
- Bachelor’s in Philosophy and Theology, Pont. Univ. of the Holy Cross, Rome, 1990–1995.
- 1988–1990: Conversion to Catholicism.
- 1985–1988: Residence in Pietrasanta, Italy (Tuscany). Full-time work in marble sculpture. Birth of our son (1988).
- 1981–1984: Columbia University, New York: Studies in Art History and Sculpture.
- Presidential Fellowship
- Master’s in Art History, Columbia University, New York, 1983.
- 1977–1981: Washington University in St. Louis
- B.A. in Comparative Arts (part of the Comparative Literature Department).
- Lien Honorary Scholar (full tuition scholarship); graduated summa cum laude.
Publications
- The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas Aquinas and His Interpreters, Ave Maria, FL: Sapientia Press of Ave Maria University, 2010. This is a second extensively revised edition of my doctoral dissertation, originally published in Rome, 2001.This work is the subject of a symposium in the journal Nova et Vetera, 5, no. 1 (2007).
- The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Figure and Fulfillment (vol. 1). St. Louis: The Miriam Press, 2010.
- The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Things New and Old (vol. 2). St. Louis: The Miriam Press, 2010.
- The Mystery of Israel and the Church: The Messianic Kingdom of Israel. (vol. 3). St. Louis: The Miriam Press, 2010.
- Forthcoming: The Mystery of Israel and the Church. Volume 4. The Messiah of Israel. St. Louis: The Miriam Press
Articles
- “The Body as Sacrament of the Soul: The Nude in Art and John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.” Saint Austin Review 9/1 (Jan/Feb 2009): 13–14.
- “Man as Imago Dei and Capax Dei: Man’s Specific Obediential Potency for Grace and Glory.” Christopher J. Thompson and Steven A. Long, editors. Reason and the Rule of Faith: Conversations in the Tradition with John Paul II. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2011, 197–216.
Subjects Taught
For Ave Maria University, Institute for Pastoral Theology, 2006–
- Catholic Theological Tradition
- Christian Anthropology
- Christology
- Ecclesiology
- Fundamental Theology
- Introduction to the Thought of St. Thomas Aquinas
- Marian Doctrine and Devotion
- Moral Theology
- Social Ethics
- Spiritual Theology
- Vatican II: the Pastoral Council
- Writings of John Paul II
For Kenrick School of Theology:
- Anthropology, Sin and Grace, Fall 2009
- The Mystery of Israel and the Church, Spring 2011
- The Theology of the Body (independent study), Spring 2010
For Pontifical Paul VI Institute of Catechetical and Pastoral Studies, Fall 2009:
Theological Anthropology
For the Estudiantado de Filosofia Santo Tomás de Aquino in Argentina, and the Studium Augustinianum in St. Louis, MO, 1999–2005:
- Introduction to Theology
- Introduction to Sacred Scripture
- Scriptural Typology
- Problems in Contemporary Theology and Philosophy (History of Modernism)
- Latin I, II, III
- Introduction to Philosophy and History of Ancient Philosophy
- Philosophy of Nature
- Logic
- Philosophy of Man
- Metaphysics
- Natural Theology
- Philosophy of Knowledge
- Philosophy of Religion
- Psychology from a Thomistic Perspective
- Ethics: Principles of Moral Philosophy
- History of Medieval Philosophy
- History of Modern Philosophy
- History of Contemporary Philosophy
- Greek I
- Art History: Classical and Medieval; Renaissance to the Present
- Philosophy of Art
Conferences and Talks
- Community of St. John, Peoria, IL (Nov. 2010): 8 talks on “Man as Imago Dei,” “Art and Beauty”
- Two talks for the St. Louis Archdiocesan Convocation of Priests: “Christ, Eternal High Priest,” and “Priest and Victim: Priestly Spirituality and the Cross of Christ,” (Sep. 13–15, 2010)
- Kellenberg High School (Long Island), Theology on Tap, “Pedagogical Function of Art” (May 26, 2010)
- Thomas Aquinas College, St. Thomas Lecture (Jan. 28, 2010): “The Vision of God in Christ’s Human Soul according to St. Thomas Aquinas”
- Kellenberg High School (Long Island), Theology on Tap, “The Scandal of the Cross” (Feb. 24, 2010)
- Ave Maria University, Theology on Tap, “The Curé of Ars: Master of Pastoral Theology” (Mar. 11, 2010)
- Ave Maria University, Theology on Tap, “Eros, Agape, and the Passion of Christ” (Feb. 12, 2010)
- Community of St. John, Peoria, IL (Feb 2009): Five talks on “The Natural Desire to See God”
- American Maritain Association 2008 Conference (Boston, Oct. 24):
- Plenary talk: “The Vision of God in Christ, Who “Loved Me and Gave Himself for Me”
- Concurrent talk: “The Twofold End of Man, Natural Desire to See God, and Henri de Lubac”
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, Lincoln, Nebraska, Mar. 2008: “De Lubac and the Natural Desire to See God” and “History of Thomism (Thomism before and after the Second Vatican Council)”
- Habits of Mind Conference, University of St. Thomas, June 13, 2007:
- Keynote Address, “Man as Imago Dei and Capax Dei: Man’s Specific Obediential Potency for Grace and Glory”
- Conference on “Humanae Vitae, the Person and the Thought of John Paul II,” Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, Saint Paul, MN, June 16–18, 2008.
- Paper presented: “Beatitude and the Gift of Self”
In St. Louis, Cathedral Basilica (sponsored by the Association of Hebrew Catholics; audio files available online at http://hebrewcatholic.org/Studies/MysteryofIsraelChurch/mysteryofisraela.html):
- The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes of Salvation History, Fall 2007
Talk 1. The Trinity, the Messiah, and the Election of Israel
Talk 2. Biblical Prophecies of the Messiah
Talk 3. Messianic Prophecy: The Suffering Servant
Talk 4. Biblical Prophecies of the Messianic Kingdom
Talk 5. Biblical Typology: How the Old Testament Prefigures the New
Talk 6. Biblical Typology in Genesis
Talk 7. Biblical Typology: Jewish Feasts and Their Fulfillment in Christ
Talk 8. The Law of Moses and Its Fulfillment in Christ
Talk 9. The Continued Role of the Jewish People after the Coming of the Messiah
Talk 10. The Prayer of Israel and the Prayer of the Church
Talk 11. Conversion of Israel and the Two Comings of the Messiah
Talk 12. Mary, Daughter of Zion and Mother of the Church - The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes of Faith, Spring 2008
Talk 1. The Virtue of Faith in Biblical Judaism and Catholicism
Talk 2. The Faith of Abraham and Mary, Daughter of Zion
Talk 3. The Virtue of Hope in Biblical Judaism and Catholicism
Talk 4. The Virtue of Charity in Biblical Judaism and Catholicism
Talk 5. The Mystery of Suffering in the Light of the Old and New Testaments
Talk 6. Sacrifice, Offerings, and Priesthood in the Old and New Testaments
Talk 7. The Eucharist and Its Preparation in Judaism
Talk 8. Jesus as the New Moses
Talk 9. The Revelation of the Trinity in the Old and New Testament
Talk 10. Matrimony and the Family in Biblical Judaism and Catholicism
Talk 11. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11) and the Beatitudes
Talk 12. Jewish and Christian Pentecost (The People of God in the Old and New Covenants) - The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes of the Kingdom, Fall 2008
Talk 1. People of God and Kingdom of God: Israel and the Church
Talk 2. Prophecies of the Messianic Kingdom
Talk 3. The Parables of the Kingdom
Talk 4. The Church Is Catholic: Ingathering of the Nations
Talk 5. The Church Is One
Talk 6. The Church Is Apostolic
Talk 7. The Church Is Holy
Talk 8. Universal Call to Holiness in Israel and the Church
Talk 9. The Portrait of the Church in the Acts of the Apostles, and Her Relation to Israel
Talk 10. St. Paul on Israel and the Church
Talk 11. The Church as the Body of Christ in St. Paul
Talk 12. Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope and Mother of the Church - The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes from St. Paul, Spring 2009
Talk 1. Conversion and Life of St. Paul
Talk 2. St. Paul’s Vocation as Apostle of the Gentiles
Talk 3. St. Paul on the Second Coming (1–2 Thes)
Talk 4. God’s Plan for Salvation History: Christ as the New Adam (Rom 1-8)
Talk 5. The Scandal of the Cross: 1 Cor 1–2
Talk 6. The Self-Emptying of Christ (Phil 2)
Talk 7. Life in Christ, “Who Loved Me and Gave Himself for Me” (Gal 2:20)
Talk 8. St. Paul on the Sacraments
Talk 9. St. Paul on Christ’s Resurrection: 1 Cor 15
Talk 10. St. Paul on the Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity
Talk 11. St. Paul on Justification
Talk 12. St. Paul on the Mystery of Israel and the Church - The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes from the Early Church Fathers, Fall 2009
Talk 1. Apostolic Tradition and the “Oral Torah”
Talk 2. Clement of Rome: First Known Exercise of Papal Primacy after Peter
Talk 3. Witness on the Road to Martyrdom: St. Ignatius of Antioch
Talk 4. St. Irenaeus and the Battle against Gnosticism
Talk 5. Tertullian and St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church
Talk 6. The Early Church Fathers and Greek Philosophy (St. Justin, Clement of Alexandria, Origen)
Talk 7. The Early Fathers on the Authorship of the Four Gospels
Talk 8. Patristic Exegesis: Biblical Typology
Talk 9. The Early Fathers on Mary as the New Eve
Talk 10. The Early Fathers on the Eucharist and the Liturgy
Talk 11. The Divinity of Christ and the Arian Heresy
Talk 12. St. Athanasius and the Battle against Arianism - The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes on the Incarnation, Spring 2010
Talk 1. Why Did the Son of God Become Man?
Talk 2. Christ’s Claim to Divinity
Talk 3. Modernist Attack on the Divinity of Christ: Was Christ’s Claim a Myth?
Talk 4. Christ’s Trial
Talk 5. Suffering of Christ in His Passion
Talk 6. The Shroud of Turin
Talk 7. The “Harrowing of Hell” and the Ascension
Talk 8. The Nestorian Heresy and the Third Ecumenical Council: Christ Is One Person in Two Natures
Talk 9. Christ Is Perfect Man and Perfect God: The Council of Chalcedon
Talk 10. Christ’s Fullness of Knowledge
Talk 11. Temptations and Emotions in Christ’s Human Soul
Talk 12. Christ’s Fullness of Grace and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit - The Mystery of Israel and the Church: Themes on Mary, Fall 2010
Talk 1. Mary in the Old Testament, part 1
Talk 2. Mary in the Old Testament, part 2
Talk 3. The Annunciation
Talk 4. Mary’s Perpetual Virginity: before, during, and after the Birth
Talk 5. Mary from the Presentation to Calvary
Talk 6. Mary, Mother of God
Talk 7. The Immaculate Conception
Talk 8. The Assumption of Mary
Talk 9. Mary, Mother of Sorrows and Co-Redemptrix
Talk 10. Mary’s Spiritual Maternity and Maternal Mediation
Talk 11. Our Lady of Guadalupe (or St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Talk 12. True Devotion to Mary, Mother of the Church and Our Mother
In St. Louis (Rigali Center):
- The Body and Blood of Christ: Treasure of the Church, May 26–28, 2005
- Lead Kindly Light: Converts to Catholicism (talks on the conversion of St. Augustine and Card. Newman), Sep. 23–24, 2005
- Advent Reflections with the Virgin of Guadalupe (three talks on Our Lady of Guadalupe), Dec. 9–10, 2005
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (three talks on Our Lady of Guadalupe), May 5–7, 2009
- Conferences given in Detroit (sponsored by Miles Christi)
- Wisdom of the Catholic Faith, 8 talks (June 2002)
- The Catholic Church: Beacon of Truth (History of Modernism), 8 talks (Jan. 2003)
- The Catholic Understanding of Sacred Scripture, 7 talks (June 2003)
- Culture Lite: The De-Christianization of Western Society, 7 talks (Jan. 2004)
- The Passion of Christ: In the Light of Faith, History and Science, 7 talks (June 2004)
- Apologetics: Giving Reasons for Your Faith, 7 talks (Jan. 2005)
- The Eucharist: Heaven upon Earth, 7 talks (June 2005)
- The Catholic Vision of History, 3 talks (Jan 2006) (with Dr. Warren Carroll)
- Christology, 4 talks (Feb. 2007)
- The Dictatorship of Relativism and the Protestant Reformation, 6 talks (June 2007)
- Apologetics. The True Church of Jesus Christ: One or Many? 6 talks (Feb. 2008)
- True Hope, and Its Counterfeits: Importance of Hope for the Christian Life, 6 talks (June 2008)
- The Beginnings of the Church in America, 4 talks (Feb. 2009)
- St. Paul, 6 talks (June 27–28, 2009)
- Heroes of the Faith: the Priesthood and Saintly Priests, 6 talks (Mar. 6–7, 2010)
- Any Stick Is Good Enough to Beat the Church with: Unmasking the Enemies of the Church (June 26–27, 2010)
- The Challenge of New Evangelization: Getting the World Back to Christ, 3 talks (Feb. 26–27, 2011)
- Leader of weekly St. Thomas Aquinas dinner/discussion group held in our home, which began in fall 2009, and is ongoing. Topics include: Aquinas on grace, the Trinity, predestination, Ecclesiology, Mariology, etc. Participants have included four St. Louis University doctoral candidates in philosophy; two Protestant graduate students at Covenant Seminary, one of whom entered the Church at Easter 2010 and will pursue his doctorate in theology at Catholic University of America beginning in fall 2010; about ten seminarians from Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, and three priests.
- Talks for the RCIA at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, 2009-2011
Foreign Languages
Spanish, Italian, Latin, German, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, and French.